What is cancer

Cancer is a term used for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade other tissues. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through blood and lymph systems.

Cancer is not just one disease but many diseases. There are over 100 different types ofcancer. Most cancers are named for the organ or cell type in which they start – for example, cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer, cancer that originates in the basal cell carcinoma of the skin called basal cells.